Time to Lobby Texas Legislators for Later School Start Times

Supporters of Start School Later-Arlington have the opportunity to influence Texas policy makers during the next three weeks. Leaders of the committees on Public Health and Education need to hear that legislation is needed to insure that schools do not begin before sunrise. Bills may be introduced by legislators during this Texas legislative session until March 13. So it is crucial for our voices be heard immediately. Your help is needed to lobby key members of the Public Health and Education committees. A quick email or phone call to these state legislators is needed. Rep. Myra Crownover, chair, Public Health, myra.crownover@house.state.tx.us, 512-463-0582 Rep. Elliott Naishtat, vice chair, Public Health, Elliott.Naishtat@house.state.tx.us, (512) 463-0668 Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock, chair, Public Education, 512-463-0684 Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., vice chair, Education, eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us, 512-463-0127 Your correspondence or call can be brief. Here are a few suggested points: Adolescents require approximately 9 hours of sleep & experience a delayed sleep cycle preventing sleep before 11 pm. School hours that begin in the 7 o'clock hour are mandating sleep deprivation for adolescents. Local politics prevent many local school boards from prioritizing the health and safety of our children despite numerous efforts by parents, teachers, and student groups to start school later. The CDC says 70% of our teens are sleep deprived. The American Academy of Pediatrics, 2014 policy statement, recommends that all middle and high schools start after 8:30 AM. Studies have shown that delaying school start times increases academic performance on standardized tests, and STEM classes benefiting the disadvantaged at twice the rate as their peers. Later school start times decrease substance abuse, symptoms of depression, consumption of caffeinated drinks, & teen car crash rates. Representative Oscar Longoria has introduced legislation requiring districts to design bus routes that prevent children from crossing highways or roadways to enter a school bus. The issue of later school start times could be addressed by an amendment to this bill (H.B. 243) stating that bus routes can not begin before 7:00 AM. Contact Rep. Longoria (Oscar.Longoria@house.state.tx.us or 512-463-0645) asking him to amend HB 243 to include the time bus routes can begin. Remember legislators work for us. Let them know the need to return to healthy daily hours so that no child is walking to school or waiting for a school bus before sunrise. Thanks for your help.